Mamihlapinatapai
by Chaus
Summary: A wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people, both wishing the other would initiate something they both desire but neither wanting to begin.


**Mamihlapinatapai**

**Mamihlapinatapai: A look shared by two people, each wishing that the other would initiate something that they both desire but which neither wants to begin.**

A/N: I decided to post this story instead of the one I've been writing for ages. I do hope you enjoy reaping from this plot bunnies harvest. This is my first fic that contains a mild author's voice. Tell me how you liked it?

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_Good evening, or morning, depending on where you happen to be, I am widely known as the Sorting Hat, and I have a small tale to tell. I suppose it begins and ends with noticing. In fact, I daresay the whole of this story is based on noticing. But enough of my thoughts, I suppose I should begin the story, though where we begin is quite near to what is thought of as the end. Nonetheless, onwards!_

The first time Harry saw Severus Snape, the _real _Severus Snape, was in the dark depths of the Shrieking Shack. Severus stared into the eyes of the boy who would soon become a savior as he gave Harry his memories and Harry was transfixed. Utterly fascinated with the glaze of death that began to slip into the potion master's eyes, Harry received the memories without truly noticing at all.

It wasn't until Snape's eyes turned away from his, unseeing, that Harry was spurred into action. He searched his pockets, removing several vials and returning them to their original size before splashing their contents on Snape's neck. The wound began to close as Harry shoved a bezoar down his professors' throat, forcing the man to swallow.

As prepared as Harry seemed to be to stay and make sure the man lived, Snape motioned the boy away weakly. There was a world to save. And save the world Harry did. Voldemort was slain and the war was finally over for the wizarding world; however, when they looked for their savior after the Final Battle, he was nowhere to be found. Harry Potter returned to the shrieking shack and transported his most, once upon a short time, hated professor to the infirmary of Hogwarts, leaving him in the capable hands of Madam Pomfrey and then disappeared.

_Now, I've told you all this merely so that you might understand the tragedy I will say now: The first time Severus Snape noticed Harry Potter, the __**real**__ Harry Potter, was within the depths of his own imagination; however, for Severus, we must begin at the beginning._

Severus Snape awoke in the infirmary two weeks after the Final Battle. Upon his awakening, he was greeted by Poppy Pomfrey, who drugged him back down with potions. When he next awoke, the Final Battle had been over for two weeks and two days. As Severus slowly healed, he was visited by several people he remembered; Minerva, Slughorn, Kingsley, and quite a few others as the days dragged by. His visitors talked to him about the war, needing to share the horrid memories with someone who had been at Final Battle. Severus listened to them patiently, whereas normally he would demand that the terrible memories be left in peace, he took in every single word about their parts in the war. And his reason for his increased patience was simple: something was missing.

Severus was well healed and occupying his own rooms once more before he finally realized what exactly was absent…Harry Potter. No memories accompanied the name, save the tales his visitors spun. His visitors had always looked at him warily as they mentioned Harry Potter, before continuing the story normally. It hadn't bothered him at the time; he figured he must have said a harsh word about the boy at some point. Now; however, as he looked through his possessions he found several paper written by the savior.

Severus Snape never forgot a single one of his students. Not even one, yet he felt no memories accompanying the harsh red streaks he wrote on every sheet the boy had turned in. It had then occurred to him that there was no way he'd forget the face, the accomplishments, the personality, of the boy who had saved them all. And as he tried to brush away the obviousness of the thought and resume looking through his items, he uncovered a picture of Lily and, unfortunately, James Potter. They held a child. A child Severus Snape couldn't remember. He removed the picture from it's worn frame and checked the back of it. His spidery handwriting spelled thirteen words: My beloved Lily Potter, her son, Harry James Potter, and her damnable husband.

Severus set the picture down and returned to his bedroom, his mind reeling. There was absolutely no way he'd ever forget Lily's son…and yet he had. Pomfrey had diagnosed him as perfectly healthy. No leftover spells or harm done to him, save Nagini's bite. A thought struck the former spy, perhaps Nagini's bite had caused him some kind of…trauma, and he'd retaliated by…forgetting Lily's son? Severus shook his head wryly, the mere idea of a snake bite driving him to forget Lily's son was preposterous- there was no connection between the two that would justify the explanation.

Severus toiled over his memories, unsatisfied with what little he'd unveiled, and yet he came up blank. It occurred to the potions master then, that if the "Golden Boy" was supposedly still alive, why hadn't he visited Hogwarts. And then came an epiphany: If the Golden Boy wouldn't find them, then Severus would find the Golden Boy.

Satisfied with his intent to track down Harry Potter, assuming he was still alive, Severus drifted into the land of dreams.

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A/N: Please reveiw and tell me what you thought.


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